Flower of Snow
by Snowstep
Summary: Thunderstripe... Snowfur's forbidden love... now dead. On a dangerous mission he was sacrificed for the love of his life. How would SHE feel? And what would happen in FireClan?
1. Prologue

**Flower of Snow**

**By: Snowstep**

_Forbidden love. Thunderstripe disobeys StarClan's wishes by loving a cat he cannot have. Now he's gone... what would she do? The she-cat that loved him back; how would she feel? And what would the clan turn out to be, after disasters all pile up on FireClan?_

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**-P****rologue-**

As three cats padded to the cold north, they spotted the high, snowy mountains. That was their goal. The air became colder as they neared the northern mountains of the snow owls, so they ate Flame Berries to warm their bodies.

Soon it was sun-high, and the group of cats were climbing the mountains.

"Are we there yet?" panted one of the smallest cat in the group.

"The herbs! We're almost there! Look!" a handsome tabby tom in the lead of the group flickered his tail towards a small bundle of pointy ice-like leaves on the edge of a cliff.

The cats moved on slowly, careful with each step they took, and headed for the cliff where the Icicle Leaves grew. Suddenly, the small brown-grey tom that was panting hard for breath slipped as a rock slid from under his paw.

"Thunderstripe! Help!" he cried as he tried to hold onto the edge with his claws.

"Mosstail!" the handsome leader of the group hurried back down to help his comrade.

He reached down and took Mosstail by his scruff, and dragged him back onto the cliff. They were both out of breath, and panted hard while a brown tom jumped down from a higher cliff and landed softly beside them.

"Are you two okay?"

"Yes, we're alright, Mudear," answered Thunderstripe.

"Thanks," panted Mosstail. "For saving me."

"Can we go on now? It's almost sun-down!" complained Mudear.

"Okay, let's go," Thunderstripe mewed.

Climbing the last cliff, they finally got to where the Icicle Leaves grew, and took as many as they could possibly carry. Then, before they left to go back to camp, Thunderstripe paused as he looked up to see a beautiful white flower.

_This must be a Snowflower_, thought Thunderstripe happily.

"Mudear, Mosstail, go on without me. I'll meet you at the bottom after I do something." Thunderstripe took a look at the other two cats, who nodded approvingly, and climbed higher onto the mountains.

"Got it," Thunderstripe grunted as he carefully took the Snowflower between his teeth. "Snowfur's going to be happy to see what I got her."

He took the beautiful white flower with him down the cold, icy mountain. Mudear and Mosstail were waiting for him under an old oak tree a little way from the edge of the mountains.

"I see you're finally down," growled Mudear. "We've already hunted. There's not much around this cold place, but at least there's something."

"We've left a rabbit for you," Mosstail pointed at a small pile of snow under the roots of the huge oak with his tail, then looked curiously at the flower between Thunderstripe's teeth. "Hey, what's that you have there?"

Thunderstripe gently set the precious white flower down and mewed happily, "This is a Snowflower. Snowfur's always talking about them."

"You know medicine cats can't have kits!"

"Drop it, okay?"

"I've seen you with her these past few moons!"

"She's just a…good friend, so I want to give her something she's always wanted, that's all," he groaned. "Let's get some sleep. We're going to need it tomorrow."

Thunderstripe woke with a start, staring fearfully around. There was a strong acrid scent around him and an orange light shone dimly from behind him. With a sudden sense of horror he turned around, and saw what it was.

"_Fire_!" he hissed. "Get up!"

"What?" Mosstail blinked slowly and yawned. Beside him Mudear was awake and stared at the flaming tree with fear.

"Fire! Get the herbs and run for it!"

Mosstail suddenly jerked awake and carried the herbs to a safe distance while Thunderstripe hurried to find the precious Snowflower he got for the beautiful white medicine cat. The flower was still lying where he left it when he slept, unharmed and sparkling with the reflection of the blazing fire. He ducked quickly to collect the snowy flower and ran for it, but a thick branch suddenly fell from the tree and landed right on top of him, knocking his breath out along with the flower.

_No…I must get it……_ Exhausted and worn out, the tom reached out his paw for the fallen Snowflower, though his energy was slowly draining out.

_Just…a bit further…_... Finally, with his last ounce of strength, he had the flower in his paw.

With his last breath, he let out a short sigh as he looked at the beautiful flower, then closed his eyes.

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**Did you like it? Or was I a little fast on making him die? ... Please R&R telling me what you think!**

**What is special about the Snow Flower? Tell me what you think. **

**Snowstep**

-and the story begins-


	2. Ch 1: Dreading the Worst

**Chapter 1: Dreading the Worst**

A bolt of lightning struck down from the dark, cloudy night sky and caused an oak tree to catch on fire, burning down on a small group of resting cats. Thunderstripe and his comrades fled for their lives when they awoke, but the burning tree fell on him before he had the chance to run. The fall of the swiftly burning oak crushed him and knocked the breath out of the young tom, and he lay there unmoving.

It was very dark. Like a blanket of black mist, the darkness covered every corner of Snowfur's mind. She didn't know where she was, until another she-cat, Whitefoot, came to Snowfur's side. Her white pelt stood out in the darkness like a shining star on a moonless night.

"Mother!" cried Snowfur happily.

"You must help Thunderstripe," meowed Whitefoot in a serious tone. "He is in great danger. You must get help!"

"But where do I..."

Before Snowfur finished her question, Whitefoot disappeared into the darkness. The terrible coldness slowly faded away as she suddenly awoke in her den.

"No...Thunderstipe..."

She and Thunderstripe have been good friends and playmates since they were kits. She shared all her problems with him. Every time she felt lonely or confused, she went to him, and he had always made her feel better. Though she was the medicine cat, she held strong feelings for him, one that a medicine cat should not have.

Snowfur slid between the two sick cats, Specklecloud and Rosewing, lying paralyzed just outside her den on the way out to tell the Clan about the omen. They were both infected with the sickness known as Black Fever. Thunderstripe, Mosstail, and Mudear had travelled to the Northern Mountains to forage for the cure, the Icicles Leaves.

The young medicine she-cat padded out into the FireClan clearing and called to the clan urgently. It was the middle of a cold leaf-bare morning and the sun had barely risen, but her worried meow was heard, and all the warriors, apprentices, and elders came running out.

"What's wrong, Snowfur?" Stormystar, the FireClan leader, asked as she padded out from her den behind the great rock. "Has something happened?"

Snowfur spoke as Stormystar looked deep into her frightened eyes. She told the whole clan about the omen that was sent by the great warriors of StarClan about the great danger the travelling group was in. Some of the listening cats let out worried wails; others sat there motionless, not knowing what to do.

"We must go find Thunderstripe and the rest of the group!" meowed Grassdew, unable to keep his concern under control.

Stormystar stared sharply at the interfering warrior with her calm amber eyes. "Yes, we must find them. Grassdew, Softstep, Firepelt, and Greywhisker, take your apprentices with you, and head north. Thunderstripe, Mudear, and Mosstail went to the Northern Mountains beyond the MoonClan territory. You should be able to find them right away. If not, report back immediately."

The cats scattered; some went back into their dens, others on patrols. The four warriors and their two apprentices, Silverpaw and Squirrelpaw, gathered at the camp entrance. Stormystar gave them a slight nod, and the six cats disappeared from the camp.

After the search group had gone, the clan leader slowly padded to Snowfur, who stood at the camp entrance, watching the cats leave. She stared past at something other cats couldn't see, with a sad, understanding shine in her beautiful, blue eyes.

"Do you think they'll be all right?" mewed Stormystar with a nervous twitch of her tail. The FireClan leader never showed fear in front of the clan, but now all her worry was showing as she addressed Snowfur.

"Yes, I'm sure the rest of the group will be fine," the wise medicine cat turned to face her leader. "But I think something bad has happened to Thunderstripe."

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**Please read and review. (R & R) I know the chapters aren't going to be as interesting as the Prologue, but a story can't all be dying and such, can it? XP**

**Snowstep**


	3. Ch 2: On the Way

**Chapter 2: On the Way**

The search group followed the earlier cats' trail, and headed north. Although it has been quite a while now that Thunderstripe's group left, they still picked up a faint scent that told them they have been this way. A handsome, young grey tom was leading the cats.

"Follow the trail!" Greywhisker called out. "Let's just hope they aren't too far off."

"And that we don't get our ears clawed off by the other clans," growled a dark ginger apprentice.

"Oh, stop complaining, Flamepaw!" hissed Softstep.

"Stop arguing and get along," mewed Firepelt. "You're going to be stuck together until we find the other group."

Flamepaw stared angrily at Softstep, who was just made a warrior less than a moon ago, then went back to work, mumbling to himself.

"We're going through Moonclan territory, so watch out for patrols."

As the cats went deeper into Moonclan territory, the trees grew thin and strong scents of Moonclan cats filled the air. By sun-high they were crawling with their bellies to the ground, trying to avoid any patrols that might be coming their way. Greywhisker opened his mouth to scent the air for any patrolling Moonclan cats, then quickly hid into a nearby bush. The others followed close behind him.

"A Moonclan patrol," he hissed only loud enough for his comrades to hear. "Hope they didn't scent us."

Greywhisker peeked out of a small gap between the bushes to see if his friends are in this patrol. Indeed, Stormheart, the Moonclan deputy, and Streamcloud were in the evening patrol.

He sighed with relief and padded out to greet the Moonclan cats. The patrol was startled at first, but then realised it was Greywhisker. Though Stormheart and Streamcloud padded over to meet him peacefully, Birdpaw, a spiky new apprentice, gave him hostile glances.

"What are you doing in Moonclan territory, Greywhisker?" Stormheart gave a small nod to the passing cats.

"We are on a mission to go to the Northern Mountains to find our lost comrades," Greywhisker answered, looking to see the search group cautiously stalking out into the open. "May we pass through your territory? I swear to StarClan that no prey will be stolen."

"I trust you, Greywhisker. May StarClan be with you!" The massive MoonClan deputy called out to the travelling cats before they sped north.

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**More boringness... so sorry. Please R & R once again!**

**Snowstep**


	4. Ch 3: Waiting

**Chapter 3: Waiting**

It was already sun-high before they stopped outside the MoonClan border to rest and search for prey. Greywhisker's belly was gripped by hunger as strong scents of rabbit drifted to his open mouth. Instinctively, the young tom dropped to a hunting crouch and followed the scent into the last parts of the forests. The cold stopped trees from growing near the frozen mountains, but they were far enough to have some plant growing, for shelter and for prey to be alive and about. Using more of his hearing than his eyes, Greywhisker pinpointed the young rabbit nibbling on some frost covered grass behind a bush. Before the small creature heard him coming, he pounced squarely onto it and killed it swiftly.

Prey was scarce in the middle of leaf-bare, especially beyond the northern territories of MoonClan. Carrying the small rabbit back to the tree-less clearing, Greywhisker saw his apprentice, Silverpaw, already eating together with Softstep. Padding over, he notices that Silverpaw was sharing prey with the she-cat warrior.

"Where's your catch, Silverpaw?"

The young apprentice looked up at Greywhisker with surprise. "I didn't find any prey...Sorry, Greywhisker..." She looks down at her paws in embarrassment knowing that her mentor found out that she didn't catch any prey.

"She tried her best you know," Softstep looked up from the small chaffinch she was tearing at and gave Silverpaw a sympathetic look.

Greywhisker didn't want to hurt her feelings, especially since Silverpaw is his first apprentice, so he decided to go easy on her. Besides, she is still young. "You can have my rabbit. But try to bring back some fresh-kill next time."

Seeing his apprentice's eyes lit up, Greywhisker stalked back into the grassier part of the partly frozen forest. Almost immediately, he picked up the scent of squirrel. He crouched down low onto his belly and pounced. However, the small creature heard paw steps on the hardening snow before the hunter sprang out, and it ran. Greywhisker gave chase, and pressed it down with one paw before it dashed onto the nearest tree. Just when he was bending down to give the squirrel a killing bite, he looked up in surprise.

There, some distance away from where he stood, was a half-burned tree, and under it lay a motionless brown body.

"Thunderstripe!" Greywhisker recognized his clan mate instantly. Rushing to the broken tree, he didn't care that his squirrel dashed out from under his paws and disappeared into the bushed; his friend was more important.

Greywhisker stopped a mouse-tail in front of Thunderstripe. Crouching down, he touched Thunderstripe's dusty, cold body with his nose.

"Greywhisker!"

Turning around, Greywhisker saw Grassdew, Softstep, Firepelt, Silverpaw, and Squirrelpaw bounding toward him.

"What happened? We heard you yowling," the old ginger tom, Firepelt, asked with sympathy.

"Is...is that Thunderstripe?" Softstep stared at the dead body of her friend with shock and sadness.

Greywhisker nodded slowly, and turned back to mourn for Thunderstripe.

Grassdew moved beside his sister to whisper some comforting words to her, "Don't worry, Softstep. Thunderstripe hunts with StarClan now."

"Hey, what's that Greywhisker?" Squirrelpaw was staring at something under Thunderstripe's extended paw.

Curious, Greywhisker carefully lifted the dead warrior's paw, and underneath was a beautiful white flower. The young grey tom watched silently until a warning hiss broke the silence.

There were other cats prowling around in the bushes.

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**Who or WHAT could it be? X.x Find out in the next chapter! R&R if you can! P**

**Snowstep**


	5. Ch 4: Found

**Chapter 4: Found**

Greywhisker's fur bristled as he took a step towards the bushes. "Get ready for a fight!" he hissed to his clan mates as they took position beside him with fangs bared.

Just when he was about to attack whoever was hiding in the bushes, his fighting senses all alert, a voice broke the tension in the air. "Wait! It's us." The voice shook as Mudear slowly limped out from the holly bush, followed by Mosstail.

Greywhisker looked up in surprise as the two missing cats appeared, looking half dead. The two cats were scrawnier than LeafClan elders, and they were covered in dried mud that spiked their fur into clumps. "You two look horrible." Greywhisker's fur flattened and he flickered his ear towards Thunderstripe's body. "What happened?"

The six cats listened quietly as Mudear and Mosstail explained the whole story to the search group who were expecting to find all three missing cats but found one dead.

The sad, hushed voices soon died with the sun. Greywhisker, Grassdew, and Firepelt sat soundlessly, their eyes glittering with sadness in the fallen darkness. The only sounds were the weeping of Softstep and the apprentices, and the howling of the winds as snow started to fall from the starless sky.

"Let's find somewhere to shelter for tonight. We can't stay out here in snow," Firepelt finally meowed, breaking the depressing silence.

Greywhisker slowly nodded in agreement, blinking away the shock that his friend is now with StarClan. "Um, yes, good idea Firepelt."

Slowly, all the cats stood up with their tails trailing behind on the ground. Grassdew carefully wiped away Softstep's tears with his tail, and he ever so softly whispered into her ear. "Don't worry…our brother is now in StarClan with our mother…"

Greywhisker sighed sadly. Thunderstripe had a perfect life in the clan. He was the best warrior aside from the clan deputy, had a loving family, many friends, and many she-cat chasing after him. Greywhisker had once been jealous of his friend, but now he despised him for leaving so much and so many loved ones.

"Come here guys!" Firepelt's voice rang out and all the cats gathered around him.

Firepelt was sniffing at an old fox den, quite large in size and the scent was very faint. "Must've been abandoned some time ago," the dark ginger tom observed.

"It'll do," Greywhisker meowed, depression obviously getting to him.

All eight cats filed into the fox hole and cuddled together for warmth and comfort. "We'll bring Thunderstripe's body back to camp tomorrow. We can then mourn for him properly with the clan," the grey warrior told his friends in a low whisper. He could hear that the cats were worn out, but quietly mourning for their lost friend.

Greywhisker watched the entrance with sad eyes. Although he himself was exhausted, someone had to be watching out for danger. The howling winds echoed in the underground fox den as the soft white snow slowly covered Thunderstripe's soulless body.

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**So sorry... the chapters seem to be getting shorter and shorter! 0.o" My apologies. R&R and tell me what you think is going to happen later! **

**Snowstep**


	6. Ch 5: Grief

**Chapter 5: Grief**

Gasps and mourning rang out through the camp as all the cats came out of their dens, watching Thunderstripe's body being carried to the center of camp. The warrior was popular with everyone, and was honoured for his bravery and friendliness towards others. After Stormystar sent Mosstail and Mudear to rest and patch up, she stood in front of Thunderstripe with her head down, saying her parting words with her past apprentice.

In the background of all the shocked cats, there stood the beautiful white figure, Snowfur, with her eyes sad and empty. She had lost someone who was more than just a very good friend... She decided to sit vigil with him last, when everyone else goes to sleep, then she'll be able to be alone for a while during her grieving.

As cats took turns sharing tongues with Thunderstripe for the last time, Snowfur saw something that almost made her heart skip a beat... something gripped firmly yet carefully in Greywhisker's jaws...

"Where did you get that?" the white she-cat asked hurrily as the grey tom padded by her.

"Why, do you know what it's for?" he asked, setting the pretty white flower down.

"Yes, I do. Where did you get it?"

"It was under Thunderstripe's paw when...we found his body."

Snowfur's blue eyes widened, holding in her tears as she thought of Thunderstripe... This was the Snow Flower she had told him about once.

"Can you...leave it with me?" the medicine cat asked quietly, afraid that she won't be able to hold back her hurt much longer.

Greywhisker blinked and nodded. "Sure. Um, I'll go get the Icicle Leaves that they brought back."

The warrior gave Snowfur a weak smile before bounding over to the small pile of long leaves and stems forgotten near the entrance of camp, leaving her staring at the white flower with her eyes now wet with tears.

She carefully picked it up in her mouth and hurried into her den, heading to the back of it where she made her nest. She knew she had to take care of the sick cats first and take care of her own feelings later. Gingerly, she set the flower down, then shook her tears away and gave her fur a couple of quick licks before heading back out to the main area of the medicine cat den.

"Where should I put these?" Greywhisker was standing at the entrance with a mouth full of herbs.

"Over there," Snowfur replied, flickering her tail to the side where she kept her supplies.

Nodding with thanks, the FireClan medicine cat set to work, hoping that the leaves Thunderstripe had died to get were able to help Specklecloud and Rosewing.

_Thunderstripe... are you watching over me in StarClan now?_

_-x-x-_

The stars of Silverpelt shone overhead as Snowfur lay in the clearing with her nose buried in Thunderstripe's fur. His body was cold, once again reminding her that she had lost him, making her heart ache with sadness.

It was already past moonhigh, and all the other cats have gone back to their dens for there would be lots to do once it's dawn. Snowfur was the only cat with the dead warrior now, her white pelt shining like the moon under the starlight. Her eyes reflected deep grief as she whispered a prayer to StarClan, tears running down her cheeks.

"He's with StarClan now."

Snowfur turned with surprise at the voice, and saw Greywhisker standing beside her, his eyes downcast.

"Yes," Snowfur took a deep breath to stop her sobbing, hoping her tears would not be visible in the dark.

"He was a very loyal friend," the grey tom blinked to her with sympathy. "I... can help you grieve."

There was something else in his voice as he padded over, offering a shoulder to cry on.

"Thank you," the white she-cat whispered and leaned gently on him.

In a time like this, comfort is the only thing that could mend a sad soul, and a broken heart.

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**Many thanks to Eaglesflight for reviewing! The only one though... so the rest of you, REVIEW! The more reviews, the quicker I update! R&R!!!**

**Snowstep**


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